The invention relates to bar code scanning apparatuses and more particularly to a bar code scanning apparatus which can generate different types of scanning patterns.
In the present-day merchandising point-of-sale operations, data pertaining to the purchase of a merchandise item has been obtained by reading data encoded indicia such as a bar code label printed on or attached to the purchased merchandise item. Scanning systems which have been constructed to read bar code labels include hand-held wands or bar code scanners which are moved across the label and stationary optical scanning systems normally located within the checkout counter in which the coded label is moved across a window in the surface of the counter constituting the scanning area of the counter, which movement is part of the process for loading the item in a baggage cart. In order to standardize the bar codes used in various point-of-sale checkout systems, the grocery industry has adapted an uniform product code (UPC) which is in the form of a bar code. While the previously cited scanning systems work well in scanning a standard size UPC label mounted on a flat surface, where the UPC label is truncated so as to be located on a small merchandise item such as a package of gum or is located on a curved surface, the reading efficiency of the above cited scanning systems becomes unacceptable.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an improved scanning system for projecting a scan pattern which provides an enhanced depth of focus at the target area allowing the reading of a label to take place irrespective of the orientation and size of the label.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved scanning system for projecting a multiple-line pattern which will effectively read a UPC truncated bar code label.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a scanning system which is high in reader efficiency while low in cost.